U.S. officials are urging Americans to think carefully before traveling to Venezuela, citing a growing set of risks for visitors to the South American country.
In a June 27 update, the U.S. State Department kept Venezuela at Level 3, a designation that advises travelers to “Reconsider Travel.”
Although Venezuela has remained under a Level 3 advisory throughout the year, the latest notice now highlights the country’s recent earthquakes as an additional concern.
On June 24, Venezuela was hit by a magnitude 7.2 foreshock, followed shortly afterward by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.
“Venezuela experienced a powerful foreshock and earthquake in rapid succession,” the State Department said in its advisory.
The agency said the events led to “extensive damage and disruption to transportation, infrastructure, and emergency services.”
Beyond the earthquake damage, officials continue to warn travelers about “crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and poor health infrastructure” in Venezuela.
The advisory also notes that serious violent crime remains a threat, stating that “homicide, armed robbery, and kidnapping occur” in the country.
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Here’s the latest on the Venezuela earthquakes
“Irregular armed groups can carry out acts of violence against citizens without warning. There are no reliable crime statistics.”
Several areas in Venezuela are also under a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory.
This includes the Venezuela-Colombia border region, Amazonas state, Apure state, and Aragua state outside of Maracay, as well as Guárico state, Táchira state, and rural areas of Bolívar state.
While Venezuela is not considered a major tourist destination, some Americans still travel there to visit family or explore attractions such as Angel Falls and Los Roques National Park in the Venezuelan Caribbean.
The advisory comes amid a complicated relationship between the U.S. and Venezuela, with Washington providing disaster relief months after Maduro’s arrest.
After magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck the northern part of the South American nation last week, the American government stepped in to help in a move that the administration says has been welcomed by the Venezuelan government.
“We have seen total compliance from the interim authorities in Venezuela as a result of the unprecedented response by the United States to these deadly earthquakes,” a State Department official previously told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment.
